Today, the Sunday after Christmas, is part of the continuing celebration of the Lord’s Nativity. In today’s Mass, we honor the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. As we say goodbye to 2018, we entrust our families to their patronage, and pray for God’s help in 2019, soon to dawn upon us.

Brothers in Christ, joy penetrates the liturgy of this third Sunday of Advent. We are approaching Christmas and this closeness leads us to meditate more deeply on the final coming of Christ. We are happy and grateful because the Spirit has been given to us, the Good News has been preached and we are assured of salvation. We too, like John the Baptist, have been called to preach the way of the Lord; to prepare our hearts for their arrival in this liturgy and all the times that come daily into our lives.

Today we celebrate the Second Sunday of Advent. The readings we will hear today help us to discover the obstacles we stumble upon in our daily walk towards the Father and, at the same time, offer us the hope of turning our hearts to Him and thus find the way to justice and peace. The prophet Isaiah encourages us with a message of consolation and joy.

Today we have to celebrate two important events: the beginning of the new liturgical year and the beginning of the preparation for the arrival of the Lord. As Christians, we have the opportunity to set ourselves goals aimed at conversion and salvation, using faith, love and prayer, to earn eternal life. On the other hand, on Advent we prepare ourselves for the encounter with our Lord in a vigilant attitude and recognizing the faults that separate us from the grace of God.

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent and at the same time the vigil. The Christmas vigil. This year’s calendar made the shortest advent possible: three weeks only. And now we’re practically on the threshold. On the threshold of this mystery in which we will celebrate the great mystery of the humanity of God. God became a man — he became one of us. Today we prepare spiritually to be able to see and understand who is God– made Man. Lord, cleanse us of our sins. So that we may be worthy to partake in the mysteries of your presence.

On this Third Sunday of Advent, our hearts are filled with joy, for the Lord draws near. We are also overjoyed as we have just commemorated our Lady of Guadalupe and are reminded of the Lord’s closeness through her appearance in Mexico. So now let us be attentive to the Lord who wishes to speak to our hearts.

Today we celebrate the second Sunday of Advent. One more step towards Christmas. Todays liturgy urges us to prepare the way, for the Lord is coming. He will come to our life as a thief, or better said unexpectedly. He’ll come to rob us. To rid ourselves of what separates us from God. To take away what keeps us from seeing him. To rob us from what makes it impossible for us to recognize and receive Him. He will come to destroy the old. Our Old world. Our old ways. Our selfish ways of thinking. The obstacles that separate us from each other and prevents us from finding ourselves.

Advent has begun. That’s why the gospel will tell us to be prepared. That we do not live asleep. For he who must come, wants to be expected. He wants us to live awake and ready to receive him when he comes as a thief on the night of our lives. Be careful. Let’s be alert. So we can see it. Because now in this holy mass he also comes. In His word. And in his body.

Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem. Today we remember this historical event but we must not limit ourselves to that. For it is also a mystical reality : Christ wants to be born in the souls – that is to say – in the life of each one of us.

Purify us Lord, of everything what is not Yours, of everything what we have not delivered to You and that are our sins, purify us, Lord so that you could be born in each one of us.

On this Fourth Sunday of Advent, our hearts are filled with joy, as we are reminded of the beginning of our salvation with the announcement to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she would be the Mother of God. Just as Mary is encouraged not to be afraid, so we are not to be afraid as we await the Lord’s Second Coming when he returns in glory. The key is to respond to the Father’s will as Mary does, “I am the handmaid of the Lord, Let it be done to me according to your word.” Where we have failed to live the Father’s will, we seek the Lord’s mercy and forgiveness and so open our hearts anew to the Lord who desires to abide with us more fully. So now let us be attentive to the Lord who wishes to speak to our hearts.